


Dear Persephone

by Velocity_Owl87



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Always-a-girl! Ovie, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Gender Roles, Genderswap, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Introspection, Male-Female Friendship, RPS - Freeform, Romance, Washington Capitals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-14
Updated: 2012-12-14
Packaged: 2017-11-21 02:47:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/592589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Velocity_Owl87/pseuds/Velocity_Owl87
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex doesn't see why she gets treated the way she gets. All she wants to do is play hockey. Unfortunately, it's not always as easy as she thought it would be. Unchanging attitudes, hostility, injuries and her own demons do their best to trip her up on her course to reaching her goals. But then, she wouldn't be Ovie if she just gave up on the way there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dear Persephone

**Author's Note:**

> I had written a version of this earlier, but wasn't satisfied with it and shelved it. But after a few pretty heavy discussions regarding gender, work and privilege and things that have been happening (or not happening) as is the case; this came together and I decided to rework it and finish it.
> 
> Also, I do picture the female Alex as looking like his mum when she was young, but with super long hair. Also I did proof this, but if there are mistakes, my apologies.
> 
> Title inspired by the Kula Shaker song "Dear Persephone" which is beautifully haunting and elusive.

_One_

Alex bit her lip and tried to not cry at the insistent prodding between her legs. She couldn't let herself though, when she felt him enter her. There was only spit to ease the passage and that wasn't enough. It still felt like a metal rod was ramming through her insides and it hurt. Really hurt. She didn't think it was going to be so painful. Even though a trainer and some friends had sort of prepared her for the eventuality of having sex, they failed to mention how awkwardly awful it was going to be.

“You okay, Sanya?” Evgeni panted against her temple as he stopped to plant a sloppy kiss on the side of her temple. “Does it feel good to you?”

Evgeni was trying, Alex had to give him that. But it hurt. Nothing he did made her feel good. In fact, the clumsy fingering he did to her only had made her sore. She was sure that she had bite marks and deep bruises all over her neck and breasts down to her stomach. Her hips hurt from being splayed open for so long and all she hoped for was that Evgeni would hurry up and come so that she could pull on her clothes and go home to her apartment.

Alex knew if she told the truth, Evgeni would not like it. Especially not when someone like her told him that his technique was crap and he was heavy and it all just hurt.

Alex also was savvy enough to realize that if she told the truth, it would go bad for her in the locker room. Well, worse than usual. She could handle the taunting, but not the physical stuff. Not in her precarious position as being one of the first girls in the Olympic roster and in the KHL. Despite still being an intimidating size for a woman, she had learned the hard way that she simply didn't have the strength she would if she was a man. And she understood that this exchange, in a way, was a tacit agreement that Evgeni will make sure that nothing escalates to anything damaging.

“Y-y-yeah. It's good.” Alex managed to answer, the weight of Evgeni left her breathless enough for him to be fooled.

“Good.” Evgeni grunted out as he thrust a few more times and gushed out hotly into her. He collapsed on top of her and kissed her temple wetly again before he pulls out without any finesse or concern for her.

Alex closed her eyes briefly and listened to Evgeni pulling off the condom and dropping it in the garbage can, wiping himself clean with a towel and shuffling over to the bench. There was silence for a few moments before the sounds of clothing being pulled on fill the air. That was when Alex opened her eyes and props herself up on her elbows just in time to see Evgeni give her a weak smile and leave her alone in the locker room.

Alex didn't cry as she got up and ignored the dull ache between her legs and slowly made her way to the showers. She turned on the water and stood underneath the spray and watched as the water swirled pink down the drain.

It was then that she promised herself that after this season is done, she would never let any of her teammates touch her again. Ever.

_Two_

America was everything Alex expected and then some. For once in her life, she didn't feel ashamed about who she was. No one cares that she was a woman playing a traditionally male sport in the NHL. Her team didn't care that there was extra paperwork, more insurance to apply for and leaves to negotiate just in case. The Capitals wanted her so badly that they were even willing to give her a separate dressing room if she wanted it. Alex was sorely tempted, since the memories of her early career were still fresh in her mind, but declined the offer. They wanted her here, that was all that mattered.

When the time came for her to meet her new teammates and suit up for her first game as a Cap, Alex was as nervous as hell, especially since she was the first woman the Caps have ever signed. It's true that she is a handsome and imposing woman, but gender equality in hockey still has a long way to go. Alex knew she could play and play well. It was part of the reason why she ended up in Dynamo and competing with men much older than her when she was still in her teens.

But it felt like until she played in the NHL, she wouldn't be able to prove her real worth. It was an old and imagined insecurity and she knew this, but she couldn't help but to entertain it. At every tournament, at every first game, it was there, lurking in the background. It was pointless, because Alex always put on a show. Even at her worst, she was better than most of the leagues that she played in, no matter what her form.

She realized, after the win over Columbus, that she shouldn't have worried. her teammates were elated and the best thing was that they weren't jealous of her success. They were genuinely glad that she was on their team and the insecurity slipped away, deeply pressed down until the next time that she had to prove herself.

Having that in mind, she went to shower and get ready for the day.

Alex was still horribly nervous, despite the success of her first game, when she showed up for practice the next day. She expected staring and maybe a few comments and had to admit that she was mildly disappointed that her teammates just nod at her and banter as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Even when she changed into her gear among them, no one even spared her a second glance.

Alex smiled to herself once she was ready to hit the ice. Maybe Washington would be the perfect place for her.

And she won't have to trade her body for some acceptance any longer.

_Three_

The loss to the Pens hurt like no other had and it was all Alex could do to keep it together as she and her teammates shook hands with Crosby and the rest of the Pens. She didn't remember what she mumbled to Crosby, or what he mumbled to her. The one thing she did remember was the intense look that they exchanged. A glare that she wasn't even sure of the meaning. Crosby got his triumph over her and the Caps and she honestly expected him to gloat or to stare her down.

That look had nothing of the sort in it and she had to admit that it made her wary. True, she had asked herself if she could give up her rule of no sex with players up for him. Crosby wasn't bad looking, and from all accounts a decent enough guy. But Alex would be damned if she was going to give Crosby any leeway. Especially not when he had just beaten her and her team. Although she is curious, she won't give him any encouragement. Maybe if she won the Cup, she would entertain the idea. But now. No. she needed to go home and lick her wounds. she hoped that she didn't seem rude when she quickly dropped his hand and skated on to the next player.

She didn't watch the rest of the games and instead, prepared to take off as soon as she possibly could. She wanted to go back home, even though it wasn't always a welcoming place to be. But it is her home and it will get her away from Crosby and the bitter sting of being good, but not good enough again.

The idea though, had to be shelved when she was in the shower the next morning and touches her breasts, only to find them sore and swollen. The sure signs of her period starting up. She thought maybe that it was a hit from the game, but when she poked and pain bloomed in her chest, she knew that was not the case. She always got softer and rounder when she got her period and this time, it was no exception. At least she had a day or two leeway before it hit her with all its vengeful glory.

There's no way she could go home now. She'd just get grief over how big she had gotten and how it was probably the reason why she couldn't lead the Caps to victory. Even though she had proudly competed for her country, it wouldn't stop a belligerent and drunk asshole from harassing her and possibly escalating into physical altercations.

Alex wasn't afraid. she could handle herself better than before. But she knew that even her charmed status won't provide a shield for much longer and if she is involved in any altercations, the press would eat it all up and star to make snide insinuations like they used to make early on in her career. She, out of everyone on the team, had to keep a squeaky clean image and that was hard to do if she went home, all curves and softness in tanktops and shorts. Moscow was hot in the summer and she wasn't going to walk around wearing sweatshirts to hide her shape. She would also be grossly uncomfortable in the heat and she was not willing to put up with it.

The other thing was the sudden emotion of rebellion that welled up in her at having to give up her freedom as a trade-off to go home. The unfairness of it struck her again. There was nothing to be done about it. It was something that she had to accept. No. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but she was much better off staying in America, rather than hide when it happened again and get grief about not watching her weight.

She sighed and finished her shower and tried to remember whether she could get away with wearing shorts and tanks if she couldn't get around to buying sundresses like her mother would want her to get instead. She made a mental note to find something that would be a compromise and stopped thinking about it at all. Once she was done, she wrapped a towel around herself and only half-heartedly rubbed her hair dry, absentmindedly noting she might need to get it cut before heading towards the bedroom to get dressed.

Her phone buzzed when she just pulled on her favourite cookie monster tee and one of her loosest pairs of Dickies. It wasn't high fashion, but comfortable and familiar and she needed that right now.

“Alex? Hi. How are you?” Hearing the softly accented French voice of his goalie was not what she had been expecting. her family, Sasha, maybe Nicky. But not Jose. Not that they didn't talk, but they weren't particularly close. Since there were language barriers on both sides and Alex was a bit intimidated by the easy going charm and darkly good looks of the man. Despite catching him watching her once in awhile,her feelings don't change. Especially not when the action was done so covertly she never knew if it was really happening or it was just her wishful thinking.

“Okay. You?” She asked politely as she moved to her mirror and frowned at her reflection. She normally wouldn't keep the conversation so short, but she didn't know how to talk to him at the best of time and being caught so flat-footed unnerved her even worse than before. She picked up a brush and made the effort to tame her hair. It was long. Far too long, almost down to the middle of her back, but she decided then and there she'll keep it that way.

She hated that her mother always had her cut it above her shoulders before. Yes, it was easier to take care of, but did nothing for her looks and emphasized her strong features. She was done trying to fit some sort of image and simply ran the brush through it and put some mousse in it to somewhat tame it.

She also did take off the t-shirt and put on an actual women's cut Caps promo shirt she had relegated to the back of the closet. There. Much better.

“Fine. Uh. Listen. Me, I'm going back to Montreal and I was thinking we should go out,  _non?_ One last party, before I go and you go.”

Alex frowned at her reflection and debated actually going out. She knew that her teammates weren't going to make any remarks, but she was feeling curiously vulnerable at not going straight home like she always did once the season was done and being able to privately lick her wounds over another loss.

“Alex, it won't be fun, if you don't go. We won't see you for months either. You coming?”

Alex had to close her eyes at the joking, sort of pleading tone that Jose just fucking  _knew_ would work on her every single time. she still didn't know how Jose had figured out the perfect tone and pitch to use on her whenever he wanted something from her, but she needed to find resistance to it before something regrettable happened.

“Okay, Okay. I come! What time? Where?” Alex finally replied as she studied her reflection in the mirror. Despite the harshness the broken nose brought to her face, the longer hair and the properly fitted t-shirt did wonders for her looks. They softened her up and made her pleasant looking rather than just hard. She just needed to slap on some mascara and lipstick (the only makeup she had actually mastered despite her mother's anti makeup stance) and she would be as ready as she could be.

“I will text you the information. I will see you there.” Jose said before hanging up.

~*~*~*~

“You don't like the party?” Alex looked up and blinked as she got pulled out of her thoughts. She opened her mouth to reply, but all Jose did was hand her a cold bottle of beer and sat down on the empty chair next to hers.

It wasn't that she meant to be so anti-social. In fact, she had brought over a bottle of good vodka and was determined to enjoy herself. But that plan fell to pieces when her teammates notice she was actually trying to be feminine. Although most of the time, they hardly acknowledge it, there was a subtle change in the party atmosphere that she'd be utterly dense to miss. Even though there were wives and girlfriends present, the chill was even worse among them.

Women had always been extremely wary of female hockey players. They either think that Alex is a lesbian or a slut, so she did her best to not notice the way many of them stand closer to their men. As if Alex was going to strip them and fuck them in plain view. So she decided to make her excuses and sit outside in Jose's patio and enjoy the nice night.

“It is okay. I'm just thinking.” Alex replied as she accepted the beer and twisted the cap off. She took a long pull and winced at the taste of the cold beer. It was good and strong and something  _not_ American, that's for sure. It also had the underlying sweet tartness of green apples and she found herself liking it.

Jose didn't say anything and instead took a drink of his own beer while Alex watched. She tried to not pay attention to the way his throat moved as he drank, nor the way his lips turned dark and moist, but it was hard to ignore the lushness of him and his movements.

“You're not going to Russia are you?” Jose asked once he had finished licking the last drops of beer from his lips. Alex's breath hitched a bit in her throat at the action. Jose forgot how beautiful he really was and Alex was trying to not notice that about him. She knew she was just moody and lonely and it would pass. She knew all of that, but it didn't stop the tight heat of desire and want curling up in the bottom of her belly.

Even though Jose was single (a fact she, Alex, was quite curious about, since he was damned good looking, nice and a perfect gentleman) Alex wasn't about the break the promise she made to herself. Even if he was willing, she was still bigger than him. And there was an entire houseful of guests. All the logistics were there for it to  _not_  happen. But the way that Jose was licking his lips made her wonder if logistics could be damned.

“No. It is harder now. They want me to win and when I do not win, it isn't a good thing to be Alexandrina Ovechkina.” Alex replied quietly as she took another drink of that tart beer. Jose nodded and also took a deep drink as he mulls over the information.

“What will you do?” Jose asked as he put the bottle in a recycling bin and picked up another one from the cooler Alex didn't even notice before. He gestured to it and Alex shook her head. She hadn't finished her first one and she wanted to enjoy it. Also, she always cut herself off at two drinks so that she could take herself home.

“I don't know yet. It is sudden. I need to change plans.” Alex replied as she finished the beer and put the bottle down, which Jose scooped up quickly and deposited in the bin.

“Come with me.” Jose says abruptly, making Alex laugh in response.

“No, I'm serious. Come with me to Montreal. You'll like it there in summer. Lots to do.” Jose insisted as he plied Alex with another beer.

“Why do you ask? We not close friends. We good teammates, but no real friends. Why you ask now?”

Jose smiled softly as he got up from his chair and slowly made his way in front of Alex.

“I want that to change. I want to get to know you better.And yes, I want to do this.” Jose leaned over and kissed her. Although it was somewhat expected and welcome, Alex forced herself to push him away.

“I am not toy, Jose.” Alex whispered roughly as she put the unopened bottle down. “It is big mistake to come. I leave now. Good night.”

“Alex. Wait. No.” Jose's hand was around her wrist and he was standing in front of her. “I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I offended you.”

Alex only looked down at his hand circling her wrist. She could get loose without effort, but she only stares at the contrast between their skin tones and she had, for a split second, an idea of what they would look like naked and wrapped around each other. She figured later that was the reason why she didn't pull away and actually listened to him rather than following her instincts and leaving.

“I don't...I know...inside. I saw. But it's not like that. I promise. I know what can happen. I know it could go badly between us.” Jose stammered through his explanations and Alex watched. Jose was blushing and his eyes were dark and wide and Alex, despite her reservations, is finding herself being won over. But if he really was serious, Alex was going to make him work for it. She doesn't want to be an experiment or a toy, like so many men have seen her as.

Nor did she want to barter her body for some peace in the locker room like she had before. If she was going to sleep with him, if there were feelings to develop between them...she had to have proof.

“So why do you want to? Just to say that you got to Ovie before anyone else on the team did?”Alex asked bitterly.

“No. Nothing like that. At all. I just...I just want you. I'm serious and it is not a game for me. I just...I just...” He let go of her wrist and Alex tried to not feel the pang of disappointment that his action provoked in her.

“You have to kick people out.” Alex pointed out after deciding that Jose had squirmed enough. Jose looked stunned at that and had to blink and close his mouth, which had fallen open in surprise.

Once he collected himself though, he moved closer and tentatively wrapped his arm around Alex's waist and pulled her close. He stroked her face before he pulled her in for a kiss. It was sweeter and softer than what she was used to and it made her sigh at the tenderness of it.

“I kicked them out half an hour ago.”

Alex laughed at that and moved in for another kiss, tasting, feeling and exploring those soft lips.

“Come on. There's a bed waiting.”

_Four_

“What do you think?” Alex asked Jose as she held up the new Russian jersey with the large St. Michael's crest embroidered on the front of the dark red background. Her number was stitched on the sleeves and when she turned it around, her name is also stitched on the back, as it should be.

“Perfect. Try not to beat us too badly.” Jose said, making her laugh as she put her jersey carefully on top of her dresser.

“We get you silver, no bronze. That for Finland.” Alex replied, coming up behind Jose and giving him a hug before softly pressing her lips on his neck.

“Mhhmm. I'd like it better if Canada got the gold, you the silver. I agree to let Finland keep the bronze.” Jose shot back, tilting his head forward to let Alex have more access to his neck.

“You would.” Alex murmured against Jose's skin, making him moan and arch into her full breasts that not even tight binding could fully contain.

That had been a sore point of contention, regarding competition. Despite there being women on all the teams, the Olympic committee and the NHL had quibbled long and hard as to where any of them should play and had even brought technicalities into it to move some of them to the women's teams despite many of them playing professionally in the men's leagues... It wasn't until Sweden, Canada, Russia and Finland threatened to pull out that the debate was dropped.

“Mmhmm...I'm Canadien, non?” Jose whispered as he turned around and captured Alex's swollen lips, his hands roaming under Alex's binder.

“I have to stay patriotic, even though you are hot, coeur.” He praised Alex as he pushed her backwards onto the bed, which was littered with their coats and clothing that was supposed to be put away, but had been forgotten in the excitement of the competition rosters finalized and Alex getting her Russia jersey and the confirmation of her position on the men's team.

Alex smiled as she raised herself on her elbows and watched as Jose stripped off his shirt and jeans along with his boxers before he pulled her hips and yanked her down to the edge of the bed, not giving Alex a chance to enjoy the sight of naked Jose for long. She was about to start complaining at the privation, but her complaints became an embarrassingly high squeak as Jose yanked down her track-bottoms along with her bikini briefs.

The squeaking continued as Jose knelt down between her legs and kissed the soft inside of her thighs while his fingers traced lazy, slow circles high up on her hips, coaxing her to open up and reveal herself to him. Slowly, ever so slowly, her thighs opened up to reveal the hidden folds of her cunt.

Alex moaned, a deep, strangled sound that was muffled by her shoving her fist into her mouth as Jose gently licked her with slow, gentle swipes of his tongue. Kovalchuk was rooming on the left and Alex was sure that Geno and Sasha were on the other side. The last thing she wanted was for any of them to get a live sex-show. Especially since apart from Sasha and Syoma, they tended to act as if she had forgotten her way to the kitchen. The last thing Alex wanted was to give them any ammunition they could use against her. They may have been team-mates, but old ways of thinking ran deep.

Alex's worries were melted away by Jose and his skilled tongue. Every time she started to doubt, he could always soothe her, either with softly murmured words or simply by offering his body to Alex, no questions asked. Just like he was doing now. Even though Alex hadn't said a word as the furore over her and other athletes roster positions were hotly debated, deep down, she had been worried. Not that it would have been a lesser win if she had played for the women's team. No. A gold medal was still a gold medal. What had bothered her was the implied insult that had been carefully couched between legalese and plain bullshit. An insult that had been implied to all of them, but bluntly shoved into her face, raking up all those feelings when she was young and needed her older brother to watch her back just in case.

She had grown out of needing her older brother. She grew up tall and strong and no one was stupid enough to attack her directly. The taunts and insinuations were old, but they still hurt, that scar never fully healing no matter how much time passed. But Jose...he understood. He was quiet and watched everything, but Alex knew, despite the shaky beginning, Jose had her back. And he was not shy about showing her that.

He took his time, tasting her, kissing her, until he could taste the very taste of her-mild, tangy and tasting faintly of citrus. Alex's hips jerked at his soft administrations and Jose clamped his hands on her hips hard enough to leave bruises. The action making Alex cry out and bury her hands into his hair and her legs wrap around his neck as Jose licked her deeper than before, sticking his tongue inside,tasting the juices dripping out of her. He moved his tongue to go as deeply as it possibly could, fucking her with his tongue, holding her still despite her best efforts to arch into his mouth. He kissed her deeply, tonguing her until her body stilled under him and his name became nothing more than a loud, discordant shriek that echoed and re-echoed in the room as she lay still and boneless on the bed.

She was breathing heavily and she squirmed under his grasp. It was good. More than good. But she needed more. Needed to be filled, but she didn't have the words to tell him all of that. All higher brain functions were temporarily shut down.

“Bon?” Jose asked as he looked up at Alex, who was lying there, flushed and panting with her legs spread wantonly wide and her thighs wet with his saliva and her own come.

She lifted her head and flipped him the bird, making him laugh softly as he wiped his face and stood up. She looked at him, confusion hazing over the post orgasmic bliss until he grabbed her thighs and positioned himself between her legs.

“C'est bon? Oui?” Jose breathed out as he reached out and adjusted himself and Alex bit her lip.

“Da.” She breathed out and Jose pushed forward, bringing her close by shifting his grip onto her ass, sliding in inch by agonizing inch until he was finally buried to the hilt inside of her. She bit her lip as she felt her body adjust around him, until having him inside her is completely natural.

“Wrap your legs around me, coeur.” Jose instructed her as he moved forward. Alex obeyed and Jose braced himself against the bed as he began to thrust, hips jerking at first as he tried to find a rhythm and then moving like a well-oiled machine once they find it, if Alex's breathy moaning and flushed face and neck were anything to go by. His thrusts were pushing her up the bed and he got overcome by the desire to see Alex's breasts bounce as he thrust into her. Wanted to bury his face into them and suckle them until Alex complained and pushed him away.

Following that desire, Jose reached over to the left side of her chest and pulled the top part of her binder away, letting her breasts pop out. Alex's eyes flew open, but they closed again when Jose had his hand cupping the heavy weight of one breast and his mouth is on the other one. It was awkward and sort of threw off his rhythm, especially when he switched breasts, but it still did the job for Alex and had her shouting out his name while Jose shouted hers out hoarsely before he collapsed on top of her.

They lay there, panting and whispering their own versions of “Oh my God!” In their respective languages before Alex raised her head and looked at her watch.

“Get off. Dinner soon. I not ready.” Alex ordered Jose prodding him so that he finally got off her. Alex winced a bit as Jose slid out of her none too gently. She waited a moment and went to the shower, tossing the sweat soaked binder the vicinity of her bed. She'd just turned on the water when the curtain was pulled back and Jose stepped in behind her.

“Nyet. You make me late.” she protested as the water pours down on them.

“Non, coeur. I promise.” Jose told her. She made a low noise in her throat, clearly not believing him until she feels him soaping up her back.

“Fine.” She huffed. But they both knew it was all for show.

~*~*~*~*~

Jose, for once, understood what it was to be helpless as he watched Alex do more than play against the Slovaks. She was outright fighting against them, since they seemed to get a malicious glee at targeting her and Jose had to ask himself if they had been waiting for the chance to humiliate her in front of the world as revenge for her skills and that was why they were trying to shut her down and hit her as often as they could.

Alex's team-mates tried to help out, since they valued solidarity over their own personal feelings towards her. A gold medal must be gotten by all costs. Jose understood the drive and in a way, was grateful that prevented them from leaving Alex to hang. But even with their efforts, Alex was getting pummeled out there and despite getting a goal in and tying the game, they need another one to cinch it and get a better berth for the next round.

The Russians all understood that and pushed harder. The effort paid off when Alex smashed out one of the Hossas and broke away to make a sweet five hole goal on Halak with only three minutes left in the third. Jose smiled and was pleased at the goal, just like the rest of the Russians were, since they were all gleefully congratulating Alex, all past contempt gone at the possibility of securing a good berth.

The game resumed and there was a face-off. All was going normal until Alex got the puck. She was skating as fast as she possibly could and Jose knew that another goal is coming. Or would have come if Chara didn't skate out to take the puck away from her and rammed her against the boards from behind so hard she simply crumpled and didn't move.

Everyone was stunned and Jose's mouth fell open and stayed open as he forced himself to stay calm and fucking watch. He couldn't run down there. Not when they were supposed to be keeping their relationship secret. Or as secret as it could be in the locker room. Even when he felt like his chest was being slowly squeezed so that he couldn't breathe with every moment that Alex lay motionless on the ice while the medics were running out to assess the extent of the injury while team-mates hovered in concern around her.

He didn't start breathing again until he noticed them ask Alex questions and her left leg moved. Her right leg remained crumpled and motionless and even sitting in the VIP area, he could see her face twist in agony as they splinted it and placed her on the stretcher. As they took her off the ice, he finally was able to gather himself up and try to not cry when he realized that at least for this year, Alex's dream of a gold medal and a Cup were done.

He forced himself to sit down and finish watching the game. Chara, to no one's surprise, got tossed out. The game was over after the hit, no one really has the heart to continue after Alex was gone and the Russians clinch it. It was ugly and it cost them a lot, but at least they got the win.

He slipped out amidst the somber crowds and is on his way to finding a taxi back to the hotel and wait patiently when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He takes it out and saw the envelope on screen.

“Alex is waiting. Vancouver General. Hurry.” It was from Mikhail and Jose doesn't waste anytime getting there, despite the revelers and the traffic. He gets another text with directions and he is greeted by Mikhail, who vouches for him and they let him in.

“She's in surgery. The break was bad and they put pins in her leg. she's out for the year.” Mikhail informed him. He didn't say the rest, but it was heavily implied. This could be Alex's last game, if her leg didn't heal properly.

_Five_

Alex was lying in bed several weeks later, her broken leg propped up with pillows as she looked at the silver medal in her hand. She found it a Pyrrhic victory. She was out for the season and had inadvertedly been trapped into her biggest nightmare: Being helpless and relying on others to take care of her. But at least she has the medal in her hand. A medal that they hung on her neck while Kovalchuk and Malkin held her up and made sure she didn't fall and hurt herself any further.

Although they had been considered the shoo-ins for the gold, it could have gone either way after that game. Her loss had been a heavy blow dealt to the team and they had to scramble around to fill the void left by her absence. But it had also galvanized them to do better, rather than take it for granted as they had at the beginning of the tournament.

If it hadn't been for what they were calling the golden goal, it could have happened. But Crosby had made an impossible shot and gotten it past Nabby and again, as it was when they were Juniors: Alex injured, with the silver hanging around her neck and Crosby with the gold and...looking at her with an expression of guilt and pity on his face as they shook hands.

“Don't beat yourself up, Alex.” She looked up and tried to smile as Jose carefully sat on the edge of the bed and took her free hand into his. “None of this is fair. I know. But I know we're going to get you back on your feet and you'll probably nail all of us in Sochi.”

Alex smiled thinly as she put the medal back carefully in its case. She wanted to throw it against the wall when she had first gotten it, but had resisted the impulse. She had won it. She had made the effort and could appreciate that. But it also was a reminder of how easily she had been taken out of the equation and yet another bitter reminder of being the also-ran beside Crosby and his countrymen.

Well, not all of them. Jose hadn't ever made her feel that way and had been careful to not gloat over the Canadian golds.

“What if it not happen?” she asked him quietly as she fixed those piercing blue eyes on him. “You take care of me and I end up...still broken? You'll stay then?”

“Have I already left?” Jose asked quietly, his soft brown eyes fixing themselves on Alex, who had the decency to blush under his pointed gaze. She could only shake her head while blushing hotly. She was being a bitch and even though her leg hurt and her pride had taken a beating...it wasn't fair to take it out on Jose.

“I won't leave. Unless you want me to.” Jose whispered as he leaned in close and pressed his lips gently to Alex's, to assure her that no matter what, he's staying.

“No. I want you stay with me.” Alex moaned against his lips as she threaded her fingers through his hair.

“ And I will.” Jose murmured as he deepened his kiss, asking for wordless permission for entrance to her mouth. Alex sighed and parted her lips, letting Jose in.

He explored her mouth with the same naked desire that took Alex aback, even though they had kissed so many times like that before. But then, she had been too worried about the games and then depressed about another silver at the end of the Olympics. She had sort of forgotten what it was like to be kissed by Jose.

She moaned in his mouth and her eyes flew open when his hand snaked under her light cotton tank and cupped her breast, his fingers pinching the nipple lightly. Alex gasped and Jose, hearing the sound, pinched her nipple harder before sliding his hand down to the curve of her hip. He shifted position so that he was above her, but not letting any weight rest on her.

Jose kept on kissing her, distracting her until she turned her head and gave out a high cry when Jose had slipped his fingers inside her. She clenched around him as he slowly finger fucked her, teasing her as she tried to lift herself up to meet him and drive him deeper into her. He kept a firm grip on her hips and she squirmed underneath him, making him rut against her left thigh so that she could feel the hard length of him as he brought her over the edge.

She didn't bother holding back, her fingers digging into his scalp as she came, leaving her a quivering puddle of Alexandrina Ovechkina underneath him. Despite that being the case, she wanted him inside of her. They hadn't had sex since that night before her injury and she missed the feel of him entering her and filling her up.

He moved and she clutched hard at his hair, wanting to keep him in position to tell him what she wanted from him. He laughed before shifting and looking down at her. He must have read it on her face because his expression softened. But he only shook his head mutely at her. He kissed her temple in apology and pressed against her.

“I don't want to hurt you more and make it harder.”

Her throat clogged up with emotion at his thoughtfulness and she didn't have it in her to complain.

They would have to talk about where they were going with all this. Everyone knew that they were together. Especially after Jose had torn out of the Canada lounge and had stayed with her after she had been released from the hospital. He had been a silent and supportive pillar for her and she knew that she would have cracked much earlier on if it hadn't been for his quiet strength.

He hadn't let the press near her, nor had allowed them to come near him. He had only brushed them off with a firm “No comment” and had somehow wrangled it so that his teammates on the Canadian team had been as taciturn with the press and had let the news not overshadow the game, as it should always have been.

He had taken her to his home, rather than let her be alone or with her family. It wasn't that she didn't love them, but she needed time and space from them. She needed to cope with the loss and the suddenly different dimension that her relationship with Jose had taken.

She didn't want to label it or define it, but she had to ask. Especially after she was sure that she had fallen in love with him since that disappointing night at the end of their season so long ago.

But for now, she needed him in all senses of the word. There would be time enough for conversation later.

_Six_

She had just finished braiding her hair and snapping the hair tie on the end when she got thumped on the back. It wasn't painful enough to make her yell, but it was painful enough to make her wince and glare at the perpetrator. The glare was toned down when she saw it was only Greenie and he looked apologetic enough as well.

“You're going to score for your big comeback, right?” He looked super hopeful and although Alex was touched, she was sure that he probably had some money riding on it. She had been out since the Olympics and even though she had been training with the team, this first season game was the first time she was going to play a full shift since Vancouver. Although she was excited, she was still nervous about how she was going to perform on the ice. She knew that no one was expecting miracles, but the expectations were still pretty high.

And it didn't help that they were playing against the Bruins either. Granted, she hadn't had too many nightmares afterward, but she couldn't deny the feeling of dread that had settled low in her belly when she had seen the schedule. She knew that it would be different than in the Olympics and that Chara wasn't going to be completely gunning for her exclusively, but at the same time it was still a worry.

“Alex?” Greenie asked, breaking her dark thoughts. She swallowed hard and shoved her braid behind her back, gaining comfort from the familiar weight of it hitting the middle of her back.

“You okay?”

Alex swallowed and nodded hard. “Yeah. Just nervous. The Bruins.”

Greenie nodded before he looked at her thoughtfully, making him look younger than his years and ridiculous earnest in a way that didn't suit him.

“Just get out there and score. We'll take care of Chara if it comes down to it. You're our captain. We're not going to leave you hanging.” He then cast a surreptitious look at Jose, who was stretching while Somya did the same, both of them sunk into their own individual pre-game rituals and not paying attention to anyone else in the room. Alex looked and had to bite her lip at the sight of Jose. They were quiet about it, but it wasn't something that could be lept quiet in the locker room for long.

“Besides, Jose will kill us and Somya made some weird growling noises, so remember we got your back out there. It's not going to happen again.”

Alex nodded and bit her lip. She didn't want to be a complete  _girl_  over Greenie's and the other guy's gestures, even though they did a lot to ease the dread she felt at going on the ice. Despite knowing that she was safe in the locker room, she didn't dare show any weakeness to her team. Old habits were ingrained hard and even though she had mellowed out quite a bit with Jose, it was a different story in public.

“Don't get killed though.” Was all she said, making Greenie smirk at her.

“Of course not! Besides, I bet Flash fifty you'd score or make an assist tonight at least.”

Alex laughed and thumped him hard enough to make him shout in outrage.

“Thanks! Thanks a lot! Christ! See if I do anything nice for you ever again!”

Alex laughed and shook her head as she went to her stall and grabbed her helmet and gloves and sat down. Boudreau was already swearing at them and it was only a matter of time until she got back to the ice and proved that she wasn't down for the count.

~*~*~*~*

“Fucking asshole.” She hissed out as she wiped her bloody nose with a wet towel. Luckily it wasn't broken, but it still pissed her off that Chara had gotten a cheap shot on her breakaway. At least she wasn't dizzy. Or in agony in the medical room. But hey, she had gotten the goal and Greenie's fifty dollars on top of that. It helped bolster up the lead and piss off the Bruins, who had assumed she was going to crumple the minute that Chara got sicced on her.

She guessed that they were pissed at how even their own home crowd had cheered when she had gotten back on the ice. Many of the women had Ovechkin jerseys on and had nearly drowned out the announcers when they saw her. It also must have rankled how when Chara showed up, the crowd was subdued and there were some boos. It made sense then, why they had decided that beating the tar out of her and making her cave in would have been good business.

No one liked to be embarrassed in front of their home crowd and no one liked to be reminded of how big of a fuck up they had made in the eyes of the world. But she still resented the target they had painted on her back. Especially since they hadn't been there when physio had been grueling enough to make her cry and how she had battled the fears she wouldn't gain her speed or be up to her skill level again. She wasn't about to let them have that victory.

Privately, she had to admit that she would have given up and run scared, but Niky and Greenie and Brooksie and Sasha had all done their best to shadow her and keep her safe. It had eaten into their goal input, but they still held a respectable lead and her goal had not only fired the crowd up even more, but also her team as well. She could tell, from the determined line of Nik's mouth and Greenie's sharpened gaze, Sasha's stance and Brookie's poker face that they would explode.

Especially right after that cheap hit. Chara had gotten nailed with penalty minutes and it was still touch and go with her if she'd come back. The trainer said if her nose stopped bleeding, but it didn't look like it and precious time was running out.

She sighed and held the ice pack and fresh towel to her nose and looked up at the monitors to focus on the last twelve minutes of the game. She let out a soft laugh when she noticed the rage that Jose was inciting in the Bruins as he turned into a brick wall. He had knocked Looch out of his crease and would have whupped Krejic's ass if Brooksie hadn't interfered. She was going to tease him over that tonight, that was for certain.

She would also do much more, she thought as she pulled the towel away and frowned at the blood staining the fabric. It wasn't as much as before, but it was still a serious amount. She was going to be mess for a few days and it sucked that their next opponents were the Rangers. Lundqvist was a very intimidating woman, even if she didn't leave her net that often.

Her musings were cut short by the goal horn blaring loudly. Fearing the worst, she looked up to see Nik had scored, extending their lead. No sooner had that happened though, that Brooksie smacked it into the top shelf, beating Thomas' flopping attempt at a save.

She grinned and dabbed at her nose again as she sat back to enjoy the bloodbath that was to come.

~*~*~*~*~

“That was brutal.” Alex commented to Jose as they lay curled up under the blankets in their hotel bed, still basking the afterglow of a great shag and a great game.

It had ended with the Caps winning 6-2 and with so many ejections that Alex was sure had made a record. She was sure that no goalie had gotten that many penalties minutes and even Syoma got reprimanded by taking a swipe at a Bruin that got too close to the net. She should have been more annoyed at their behaviour, but she was more touched than anything to have her team take such dumb risks, but willing to do so to keep her safe.

“You guys are going to get the yelling down of a lifetime at practice tomorrow.” Alex told him as she remembered how  _proud_  Syoma had looked when Jose had gotten ejected after cold-clocking Krejic when he got too close to the crease after an impromptu shoving match with Nik.

Jose laughed and ran his fingertips up and down her back in a lazy caress, making her shiver and press her body against his.

“Yeah, well, Chara deserved it. Lucic deserved it. Bastards, the whole lot of them. As if we wouldn't notice them trying to take you out. Jerks.” Jose muttered, his fingers going lower until his hand rested on her hip.

“It's worth getting bawled out. Besides, you had a great come back party because of all that. No one is going to discount you after this.”

He kissed her temple after saying this and she again felt the warmth in her chest that hadn't faded even after they had showered and returned to the hotel.

“Thanks. I needed to hear that.”

Jose only made a noise of agreement before burying his face in her hair, which was loose and spread all over the pillow like a curtain.

“You're welcome.”

_Seven_

She found herself looking nervously at the clock on the sixth game against Chicago. It can go either way at this point.They need the win. They just need that last crazy shot to get the Cup and get their vindication.

She couldn't have foreseen it. After the rout of the Bruins, they had just gone all out, clinching the division title and clenching the first seed. Although some teams had tried (like The Flyers, but when she had smashed Giroux into the bench and left him wheezing for several minutes, they had to back off. Yes, they had still ended up pulling their usual tactics, but had stopped targeting her for cheap shots) most of the teams backed down and mourned their losses as the rejuvinated Caps cut a swatch through them to get to the finals.

All of this was running through her mind as she chewed on her stitched up lip and winced. It had been a souvenir from a high stick during the third game of the finals. It hurt like a motherfucker, but she still kept on chewing it. She was damned nervous and the pain helped to keep her grounded, even though she knew her lip would look like a wreck whenever she did it. She couldn't afford to lose her head. Not when they had gotten so damned far. She knew that if they failed, the blame would be laid upon her shoulders. In a way, this game meant a hell of a lot more than the Olympics. She needed to prove that she could do it. That she could help lead a team to victory rather than defeat.

“If you got any crazy tricks, girl, pull them out now. We sure could use them.” Brooksie muttered as he thumped her lightly on the head and yanked at her braid, which was a sweaty, soaking mess that would be hell to wash later on.

She yelped and glared at him, arranging her helmet before focusing back on the scene before them. The Hawks were good and unpredictable, with the Kane kid moving so fast and shooting impossible goals at Jose and Syoma, who have been working in tandem to get them this far. He knows that they have to watch out for Towes and Kane and Sharp. The Hawks are a stiff competition and they have to break them and Alex is mulling her options on how to do it when she got called up.

Her blood was pounding in her ears as she skated across the ice, taking the entire scene in and analyzing what she needed to do. Nik and Brooksie and Greenie were already diffusing and distracting the Hawks that could make it hell for them and she just needed that one opening on Niemi. Just one. She moved fast, lighting fast and managed to snag the puck from an ill-timed pass from Burish to Sharp.

She didn't hesitate and turned the tide around, skating as hard and fast as she could towards Niemi. Burish and Sharp hot on her trail and Kane skating too close to her, trying to snatch it back and return it to the Caps side. She knew that she wasn't going to get him or Niemi head on.

She felt Kane crowding her and put a burst of speed to get away from him. Sasha was close to the net and Nik was getting there, despite battling off Byfuglien and out skating Sharp. She had options.

Toews closed up and she moved to the left to avoid him, putting her in the zone to make a shot.

If she did take the shot, she wouldn't score.

But if she passed to Nik, who had moved to the perfect position, he was bound to make the goal. He was good that way.

Kane pressed up on her and she had no time to make a decent goal caliber shot.

She passed to Nik.

He caught it at a perfect angle and drove it past Niemi's pads, the momentum good enough for it to go past the line and set off the sensors.

He had scored.

And she fell to her knees when the goal horn blared and Nik jumped up and down in reminiscence of Crosby after he had scored on Nabby.

“We won! We won!” Brooksie yelled in her ear, clapping her on the back before he went off to congratulate Nik, who was red-faced and teary-eyed at having scored the winning goal.

They had done it. Shut up all the haters and vindicated themselves for choosing a woman as a high draft pick and an assistant captain. They had finally done it.

Once the enormity of their win hit her, she couldn't help it.

She burst into tears.

End.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't help to give a happy ending here, since it just felt fitting and I was really hoping the Caps would win that year. I was happy the Hawks won, but I really felt for the Caps. No, I'm not a Bruins fan. I'm a Habs fan, so it's a given I wouldn't be all over that. 
> 
> Syoma-I found was the nickname version of Semyon. I know Theo was in the Wild by this season and Syoma was more or less sharing ice time with Neuvy. But hey, it's an AU and Theo is a guy I'd love to see get the Cup as well someday.
> 
> Alex does get called Sanya or Sasha on occasion. As does Sasha Semin...whose last name should be Semyon. Jesus. This is confusing.
> 
> I know the gold medal was US and Canada and that game was insanely nerve-wracking in itself. But for dramatic purposes...we get another 1972 Summit game.
> 
> And that's about it. Thanks for reading.


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